Agent Reach
by Little Dragon-kun
Summary: <html><head></head>After the events of Lone Wolf, Noble Six wakes up aboard the Mother of Invention. He is offered a chance from the Director to become an agent of Project Freelancer. He takes it, but will the heart of a frozen warrior need help from another? Rated T for now, will be bumped up to M later</html>
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hey guys, this is my newest story idea, another Halo and Red vs. Blue crossover! There'll be some changes to the RvB story, but some stuff will be the same. I do not own either franchise, or I would be sitting on a throne.**_

_**New game…start!**_

***Chapter 1***

Noble Six leapt down from the MAC gun, watching as the _Pillar of Autumn _rocketed away from Reach. The planet was in ruins, and it was only a matter of time before he too ended up dead. he stared at the flaming sky. "I guess this is the beginning of the end."

One would think that Six would never get out of this mess. With the amount of Covenant still in the area, his chance of surviving was probably negative at this point.

He slowly walked over to Emile's corpse, propped up against the railing with his kukri still in his hand. He had died fighting, and the body of the Zealot Elite next to him was his final act as a Spartan.

Six took Emile's kukri, along with the sheath. "Emile, rest easy my friend. I'll make sure that you are avenged." He got ready to stand against the Covenant onslaught.

He leapt from the platform, the bodies of fallen Spartans and Marines all around him. He spied a Sniper Rifle, along with a Drop Shield, and ran for it. He picked up the long-range weapon, looking through the scope as a Spirit flew overhead, the plasma cannon shooting in his direction.

Six activated his Drop shield, the bubble of energy surrounding the Spartan. The plasma blasts deflected harmlessly off of the shield, protecting the Spartan from harm. Well, temporarily at least.

After maybe thirty seconds, the shield gave way, needing awhile to recharge. A pair of Grunts fired their Plasma Pistols at the Spartan, his shields flickering. Six didn't have time to zoom in the sights, so he just no-scoped the frog-like aliens.

With both Grunts dead, Six had to duck as an angry Elite charged him with an Energy Sword, the plasma blade narrowly missing his head. _'Shit! That is too close!'_

Six readied Emile's kukri, ready to get up close and personal with a Sangheli. As this Elite was a blue Minor, it had very little experience on the field. Six was planning on using its inexperience against it.

The Elite swung the sword again, and Six ducked under it, sinking his kukri through the Elite's stomach. As the alien warrior howled in pain, Six climbed on its back and snapped its neck.

Six retrieved his kukri, ready to face the rest of the Elites when a blue ball of plasma landed not ten feet away from him. He rolled away, cursing slightly. "Shit!"

Pulling out his sniper rifle, he saw a Wraith about 100 feet away, and the driver had some pretty good aim. For a Wraith driver.

Spotting a fallen Spartan Laser near a dead Marine, Six grabbed the heavy weapon, locked onto the Wraith, and began to charge the weapon. A red burst of energy shot out, and the alien tank was a smoldering ruin.

Plasma Rifle fire washed over Six's shields, and he whirled around to see an Elite Ultra had joined the firefight, its eyes filled with hatred. "Demon!"

Six charged to weapon, and a single shot blasted the Elite's arm off. As the alien warrior howled in pain and agony, Six placed a well aimed Magnum shot through its head.

The Spartan Laser had maybe only one more shot left in it, and Six knew he had to be careful with it. _'I gotta save this for the right target…that Wraith on the other side will do.'_

The Wraith couldn't see him, and Six used that to his advantage. The Spartan Laser flashed, and the remaining Wraith was destroyed. Six dropped the heavy weapon, now useless, and concentrated his fire on the Elites around him.

Two Elite Majors aimed Concussion Rifles at the lone Spartan III and fired, small explosions dotting the area. The two aliens had terrible aim, and most of the shots missed completely. Six took cover behind a wall, grabbing a fallen Assault Rifle and ammo from a dead Spartan. He couldn't bring himself to look at his fallen brother.

One of the Elites charged at him, and Six emptied his Assault Rifle into the alien's torso, shredding it in two. Six was tempted to take his helmet off and spit on the corpse, but that required too much effort. And he simply didn't have the time, either.

The other Elite let out an angry roar, and it dropped the Concussion Rifle to ignite its Energy Sword, the plasma blade coming to life in its hands. Six backpedaled to buy himself some precious seconds. _'This really isn't my day, is it?'_

The Elite swung its sword at the Spartan, forcing Six to leap back, as getting cut in two and being eaten (or glassed) was not on his to-do list. Well, at least not now, anyway.

The Elite was upon him in a heartbeat, and its fist made a crack on Six's visor. The Spartan groaned. "Son of a bitch." Part of his HUD, the part that displayed his ammo count, was down. No possibility of repair. For the moment at least.

He tackled the Elite, surprising the shot out of it, and sank his knife in-between the alien's four-pronged mouth. Stifled cries of death escaped it before it fell limp. Six pulled his knife out, the blade covered in purple blood. "Now that is not attractive in the slightest."

An Elite Major fired a Needle Rifle at him, and one of the needles stuck in his visor, creating another crack. Six pulled it out before it could explode, and then he sprayed the Elite with Assault Rifle fire. "This isn't too good."

Six took off his battered helmet, revealing a man with several scars and cold brown eyes. An Elite Ultra fired its Plasma Rifle at him, and Six returned the gesture, firing his Assault Rifle until the Elite's shields broke and it fell to the ground in a puddle of its own blood.

'_I'm not gonna last too long,' _Six thought. He stepped to the side as an Elite Major tried to jump him. The shields of that warrior broke, and Six raised his Magnum before firing a single shot into its head. "Nice try."

He snapped to the left as an Elite Minor shot at him, his Assault Rifle in his hands. He drew his Magnum as another Elite Minor charged him, Plasma Rifle fire pouring on his body. Spent shell casings fell on the ground, along with Six's blood. _'Yeah, I'll admit it. I didn't really have a plan.'_

An Elite Ultra jumped him, throwing the Spartan to the ground. Six tried to recover, sticking his knife in the alien's neck. He pushed the body over as a Zealot ignited its Energy Sword. Before it could stab him though, Six punched out and broke the Zealot's hand, the Energy Sword falling on the ground.

An explosion of pain surged through him as an Elite Field Marshall stabbed him in the stomach. The alien lifted Six's wounded body, roaring. "You have fought honorably, demon. But this is where it ends for you. May the blades of light guide your way."

Six struggled to break free, only to feel the Field Marshall's Plasma Dagger sink into his chest. Six's eyes bulged slightly, before his vision began to fade black.

Six thought about all the lives lost in this day alone. Carter, Emile, and now him. Six then felt himself being tossed to the side, the Elite having no use for his body. Noble Six, the only Spartan III to ever reach the rating of 'hyper-lethal' was dying, and there wasn't a single thing he could do about it.

Before the light faded from his eyes, Six glanced over to the Field Marshall that had performed the fatal blow. "I did what I could…" His brown eyes lolled and he went limp. Noble Six had passed.

-0-

_Mother of Invention_

_Date unknown_

Tex tossed North to the side easily, the other agent falling to the ground in a heap. South tried to rush the gunmetal black Freelancer, but Tex spun around and hit her in the back of her head, knocking her out. Tex narrowed her eyes. There was only one Freelancer left standing: Carolina.

The red haired Freelancer got ready. "This is where I take my spot on the leader board back, Texas." Tex dismissed her comment and got ready to fight her. "Anytime, Carolina."

Even though this was only a training match, both Freelancers were expected to do better than the other. Carolina was bitter about losing her number 1 spot, and she practiced nonstop in an attempt to beat Tex.

If only they knew how cold you would have to be in order to do that.

Tex blocked a punch from Carolina, spinning her around and delivering a sharp kick to the gut. Carolina flinched slightly, and Tex was upon her in an instant, her fists a blur of motion. Carolina pushed the black armored Freelancer off of her before punching her in the head.

A dull ache began to pulse in Tex's head, but she didn't care. She had long ago learned to banish pain.

Carolina and Tex were both about to hit each other again when a flash of light blinded both of them. Carolina shielded her eyes. "What the hell is that!?"

"Don't ask me!" Tex shot back, just as confused as her. When the light died away, in the middle of the training room was a figure clad in dark green armor, with blood pouring from wounds. Tex looked at the man in shock. "Get the Director! And a medic!"

The Director strode onto the court, and he looked at the armored man with an interested look. The medic put him on a stretcher and carried him away. Tex walked to the Director's side. "Who is that?"

The Director shook his head. "I'm afraid I have no answer, Agent Texas. I think he is a man from another world."

Tex stared at him. "What do you mean, 'from another world'? I don't understand at all." The Director shook his hand dismissively. "Don't worry; I have an idea on how to use him, if he survives. The match is cancelled."

Carolina seemed outraged. "Sir, you can't-" The Director turned on her in a flash. "Don't tell me what I can and cannot do, Agent Carolina! Keep it up and you will lose your number 2 position on the leader board! Do I make myself clear?"

Carolina's face was flushed red. "Sir. Yes sir." She sent a glare at Tex, who simply smiled in amusement. Seeing Carolina worked up was very funny to her.

The Director cooled down, motioning for Tex to follow him. "Come. We have to check in on our new arrival."

-0-

Six blinked his eyes open, and then immediately protected them from the bright light. _'Why am I here? Shouldn't I be dead? what is this place?'_

He tried to sit up, only for a hand to ease him back down. "Steady big guy. You've lost a lot of blood, and I don't want to re-open any wounds."

He groggily turned to his right, and there was a medic standing by him, his eyes tired. The medic looked at the Spartan. "You awake now?"

Six nodded. "What is this place? Where the hell am I?"

The medic looked at him in a funny way. "You are onboard the UNSC _Mother of Invention, _home to Pr-" He stopped, as if he wasn't supposed to say anything.

"It's alright medic. I'm here," an authoritative voice said. A man in a dark suit with glasses entered, followed by a person in what seemed to be MJOLNIR armor. Six was beyond confused. "Who…?"

The man smiled. "I am Dr. Leonard Church, Director of Project Freelancer. And this is Agent Texas, our best agent."

Six raised an eyebrow. "Right…" To say he was bit skeptical was an understatement.

The Director sighed. "I knew you wouldn't believe a complete stranger. And you are…?"

The Spartan hesitated. No one who was alive still called him by his real name. so, he went with his number.

"Noble Six," he answered. The Director seemed to be mulling over something. "Hmmm, interesting." He shared a glance with Texas before turning back to the Spartan. "Son, you are a capable fighter, even though I have no records of you at all in any database. Still, I'm willing to gamble that chance and make you an offer. Are you interested?"

Six nodded his head. "Go on then."

The Director gave Texas a small smile before he faced the wounded Spartan.

_**A/N: Whew, there is the end of the first chapter. I'm hoping this gets something out of the many RvB fans, but I can't be sure unless you tell me. So, leave a comment below and I will see you again some other time.**_

_**Ja**_


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: Okay, here's the very late chapter 2 of Agent Reach. The first chapter was a test version, just to see if anyone would be interested, and boy was I surprised. 20 favs and 20 follows! Thank you so much! But now, I will give you chapter 2. Let me start this baby up!_****_  
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***Chapter 2***

Noble Six was sitting in his bed now, fully interested in what the Director of this mysterious 'Project Freelancer' had to offer. _'If this is a deal to join, I'm accepting without a moment's hesitation.'_

His prayer was answered by the Director. "Would you like to join as a new agent of Project Freelancer?" Noble Six opened his mouth to reply, but Tex beat him to it, and he was surprised to find out Tex was a woman. "Sir, are you crazy!? You don't even know who this person is! For all we know, he could be an Insurrectionist spy that managed to infiltrate our defenses!"

The Director sighed. "I am aware, Texas. But we are not winning fast enough for my taste. So now, we are going to be recruiting this man, if he is interested." Noble Six nodded curtly. "I am, sir. When can I start?"

The Director's lips curved upwards in a smile. "Good to hear that, Six. However, you should take the time for your body to recover before we send you out on the field. But, we will give you your new name amongst the Freelancers."

Six held up his hand. "Sir, with your permission, I would like to choose my own name." The Director paused, and after a quick glance with Tex nodded. "Very well. What will we call you?"

"Agent Reach."

-0-

Wyoming and York were sitting down in their quarters, watching a Grifball game when a knock sounded on the door. Wyoming looked up. "Who is it?" The door opened to reveal a bit of a surprise. Wyoming gave a confused glance at York, who shrugged. "Director? What are you here for? It's not another daily dose of knock-knock jokes, is it?" York began to groan at the mention of the British man's habit. "Please don't..."

The Director stepped inside, his hands behind his back. "I'm sure that you must have heard from agents North and South Dakota, but I'm going to tell you anyway. We have a new arrival onboard, and he clearly has sufficient skill. This man has taken up an offer to join us, and become an agent of Project Freelancer." He paused, as if he were waiting for an outraged demand to be heard. When York and Wyoming remained silent, he continued. "He will be known as Agent Reach. Do you have any questions?"

York raised his hand. "Yes sir. This...Reach person, just who is he? I'm not exactly confident fighting or training with someone I barely know. Look at where that got me last time." He pointed to his bad eye, and Wyoming couldn't blame him. It was the day Tex arrived, and York, Maine, and himself tried to take her on three-on-one. After getting utterly destroyed for many rounds, Wyoming and Maine began using live ammo, and the end result was not pretty. Maine had thrown a grenade, and Tex had to put York into armor lock before the blast killed him. It cost him his eye, and his wariness of strangers grew.

The Director didn't flinch. "I am aware of your mistrust of strangers, Agent New York. Agent Texas has also voiced her concerns, and I'm sure many others will too. But, this is not the time for this mistrust. The Insurrection is not dying; in fact it has doubled in size. We need to put a stop to their activities now." York nodded curtly and sat back down.

Wyoming spoke up himself. "i'm afraid I must agree with agents York and Tex. This man, Reach, is not in any of our databases. For all we know, he could be a spy, waiting for the right moment to pick us off, one by one."

The Director gave Wyoming a look, and he couldn't tell if it was annoyance or just the way his face was. "Wyoming, as one of our top five agents, I must say I expected you to be a little less cold in greeting to Agent Reach. As far as I can see, he has done nothing wrong to deserve your coldness. Why don't you two go and see him in the medical bay to decide for yourself if he's part of the Insurrection?"

Wyoming narrowed his eyes, and he jerked his head over to York. "Come. You heard the Director. We don't want to be next on the demotion list, do we?" York sighed in resignation and followed him, casting one last glance at the Director. "I swear, I really hate this shit."

Once they were out of the Director's earshot, Wyoming slammed his fist into a wall. "Goddammit, what the bloody hell is he thinking!? Accepting a complete stranger as an agent of Project Freelancer!? Either he's raving mad, or this is just a bloody joke!" York put his hand on his shoulder. "Calm down. Look, we'll go in there, and we'll fire a few questions at him. If he seems like an Innie soldier, we kill him then and there. No need to drag it out."

Wyoming calmed down, shaking his head. "Chap, this is just madness." They arrived in the medical bay, and there was the man the Director had talked about: Agent Reach.

He had dark brown hair, light green eyes, and a strong jaw. He looked as the two Freelancers, nearly fully armored, entered the room. He lifted his head up. "May I help you? The Director told me to get some rest."

Wyoming shared a nod with York, and the two Freelancers took up flank on either side of him. Reach didn't seem fazed in the slightest, and he just tilted his head back. "So, you think I'm your enemy? i'm not too surprised. Many seem to be that way when they first see me."

Wyoming stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "So, Agent Reach, I am Agent Wyoming, and this is Agent New York. Just call him York; it saves time. Now, we're here to fire a few questions at you. If you say anything that seems like something an Insurrectionist would say, we'll kill you. Clear?"

Reach smirked, as if he knew they would do something like this. "Crystal, Wyoming." Wyoming sat down, and York remained standing, his sidearm on his waist. "Agent Reach, we do not have any information on you in any of our databases, so naturally we are suspicious of your true intentions. Agent York here is especially wary, for he has an extreme mistrust of strangers like yourself."

He paused, letting it sink in. Reach didn't bat an eye, and he motioned for them to continue. "Go on. I'm all ears."

Wyoming glared. "Reach, what do you know about Lieutenant Ian Harper?" Reach looked confused, and if it was all a guise then it was a good one. "Ian Harper? I'm afraid I've never heard that name, not anywhere. I happen to be from another time, another world to be more precise. Didn't the Director inform you of that?" Without glancing to his right, he spoke again. "I would appreciate if you didn't point that at my face. Last time I checked, I wasn't the bulls-eye at target practice."

York lowered his sidearm, holstering the weapon. "Not bad, Reach. Not bad at all." Wyoming shot him a slightly annoyed glance. "York, quiet. He might be good, but it's still unclear if he is the enemy of not. Don't give in so easily."

Reach chuckled in amusement, as if the whole thing was funny. "Boys, do calm down. I am not a part of this Insurrection that you are fighting. Although I do have experience fighting them in my old world. And as far as I can see, in war you need all the hands you can get, am I right?" It was like a dare to say he was wrong. And as much as Wyoming hated to admit it, Reach was correct. The Insurrection was growing by the second, and their new advances in technology were keeping them in the fight with the UNSC and Project Freelancer.

Wyoming glanced at York. "He passes. Report to the Director and the Counselor immediately." York nodded and left in a hurry, off to find the man responsible for this whole project. _'As far as I can tell, he's not an Innie. But when he said he came from a different world, what does that mean? I'll have to ask him later, perhaps.'_

He extended his hand in greeting. "Welcome aboard the Mother of Invention, home to Project Freelancer, Agent Reach. May I wish you a full and speedy recovery." Reach nodded and the British man left, casting one last glance at the new agent. _'I do hope this isn't a terrible mistake.'__  
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-0-

After the meeting with Wyoming and York, Noble Six, now Agent Reach, felt himself getting tired. _'I suppose it is only natural for them to be wary of me.' _He let out a yawn before crashing his head on his pillow, falling asleep.

_Next Morning_

_UNSC Mother of Invention_

_Date: Unknown_

Reach woke up, and the first thing he realized was that he was no longer in pain. He looked down at his wounds, and they were already fully healed. One benefit of the SPARTAN III program: the accelerated healing. Reach stretched out, and he was surprised to see the medic standing about four feet away, clipboard in hand. "Agent Reach, you are officially discharged from the medical bay. Do me a favor and try not to get set up here again so fast. I could use a break."

Reach chuckled as he got out of the bed, most of his armor (save the helmet) already cleaned and repaired. he put the suit back on, happy to be in it again. "Good thing I still have this." He hated not being in his armor, for it made him feel vulnerable.

He left the medical bay, and he was again surprised to see the Director waiting for him, a small smile on his lips. The new agent snapped to attention and saluted. "Sir!"

The Director returned the gesture. "At ease, son. So, you are fully recovered?" Reach slowly blinked. "I'm at 100 percent, sir." The Director pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Good. Now, I'm afraid that your helmet for you armor was lost, unable to be found. But, luckily for you, we do happen to have a spare ready. If you will follow me, please."

Reach fell in behind the Director, keeping silent the whole way. Reach was not one to be known for his talking skills, unlike Kat or Emile for that matter. He was more of he 'quiet yet deadly' types, which suited him fine.

The Director led him to some sort of armor facility, where spare parts for the suits were held. The Director had a technician inside toss him a helmet, which he gave to Reach. "This is yours. Put it on."

Reach took the familiar piece of equipment, running his hand over the smooth visor of the Mark VI helmet. _'Good to have you back.'_ He put it on, the familiar hiss confirming it was sealed on. He gave the Director a nod of approval. "Fits perfectly, sir. Thank you, sir."

The Director smiled. "Very good. Now, I imagine you must be very hungry, and I refuse to have any agents pass out in the field, so go get something to eat." Reach was aware of the grumbling his stomach made, and he gave the man a salute again. "Yes sir."

He left, and he became aware of the fact that he did not know the location of the cafeteria. "Bugger." He saw Agent York walking by, and Reach walked to him. "Excuse me, Agent York, but can you show me where the cafeteria is? I'd really hate to get lost in a ship as big as this one."

York nodded. "Yeah, just follow me." Reach fell in behind York, and after about ten minutes they arrived in the cafeteria, with Reach being aware of the fact that all eyes were on him.

Reach got a plate of barbeque, and he sat down at a table alone, silently eating his food. He heard footsteps, and he found himself staring into the visor of another Agent with purple armor. "Can I help you?"

The agent took of their helmet, and Reach saw it was a woman with short blonde hair. "I'm South Dakota. I heard you're the new recruit." Reach simply looked bored as he stared. "You heard right, South," He picked up his fork and started to eat again, he he saw that South didn't leave. Annoyed, he looked up. "What do you want? I'm trying to eat."

South narrowed her eyes, "I want you, you see. They say you're good. Prove to me that you can be an agent of this group." Reach stood up, done with his meal. "Is that a challenge?" He refused to flinch, especially now.

South narrowed her eyes again. "You bet it is, new boy."

"I accept."

**_A/N: Heh, here we go! Reach versus South! Who shall win? I don't want to make Reach completely OP, but at least make him a good fighter. Questions, comments or any other feedback is appreciated._**

**_Ja'ne! _**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Well, I know that TheBestGothorita told all of you that I would be out for at least two weeks…but I have never been one to listen to my doctor, so here we are. It's time for the fight against South, and I hope it's somewhat good. Also, Reach finds out who his roommate is.**_

***Chapter 3***

Reach stood on one side of the Training Room, sizing up South Dakota. _'She's smaller than me, but I should have the advantage in my strength. I just hope I don't reopen any of my wounds from that hellhole of a planet.'_

He put on his helmet, sealing it with a hiss as he stretched his sore leg muscles. The _Mother of Invention_'s AI gave the signal for the match to start soon. "This will be one round of hand-to-hand combat. Agent Reach will be going up against Agent South Dakota. The first one to end up unable to continue loses. Agents, please get ready."

Reach cracked his neck, ready to prove himself. He wasn't scared; if anything he was a bit eager to prove his worth as a Freelancer. _'If I hold my own against South, I should be fine here.' _

"Begin!"

South swung her fist first, her speed slightly surprising Reach as he leaned back. _'She's fast. Very fast.' _He spun around to kick her in the body, but the strike was blocked and Reach grimaced under his helmet as South's fist collided with his wounded chest. _'Ow. That really fucking hurt.'_

He grabbed South's wrists, preventing her from landing any punches on the former Spartan. South struggled, and Reach brought his leg up to his stomach before lashing out, a swift kick landing. The agent doubled over as the wind left her.

Reach threw South away from him, and he got into a stance again, a bit more careful this time around. _'She also isn't fighting wounded like me. I gotta hope she doesn't hit me in the chest again like that. Otherwise, I could be taken out.'_

-0-

Tex watched silently as the new recruit, Reach handled himself against South. _'He's fighting with a major injury, so for him to have that speed is still impressive.'_

'_And there is something else, too. Something about him intrigues me.'_

Wyoming and the other Freelancers on the observation deck were also watching the fight. The British Freelancer stroked his enormous mustache and glanced over at York. "So, who's your money on?"

York folded his arms across his chest as Reach threw South over him. "Reach. He looks to be heavily trained for keeping up with South this far." North shook his head. "My money's on South. Reach is fighting wounded, and he's not as quick as South. Unless he can formulate a strategy against her, he'll bend first." He watched as his sister punched Reach twice in the stomach before the new agent slammed her on the ground.

Wyoming turned to Tex, who so far didn't answer. "Tex? What about you?"

Tex folded her arms, her eyes narrowed as Reach grabbed South in the air, holding the struggling agent above his head before kicking her away. "Reach."

-0-

Reach could feel the burn in his chest as he continued his match against South. So far, he had been tested quite a bit by the female agent. But, he knew better than to underestimate South just because she was a woman. He hadn't forgotten what Kat had done to Jun during a training session in Sword Base. The end result wasn't pretty.

He stood up, his fist cocked back. South tried to give him a new ache in his chest by lashing out with a sharp kick, but Reach ducked and slammed his fist into her. South stumbled back, kicking in desperation at Reach's face. Her boot connected, and Reach winced as the visor cut into his eye, blood beginning to blur his vision. _'Dammit.'_

South got up as she saw Reach holding his eye. "What's the matter, new boy? Giving up?" Time began to slow down for the former Spartan, something everyone one in the SPARTAN program dubbed as 'Spartan Time.'

Reach crouched low, and he ran at South, his augmented speed surprising the Freelancer. She tried to block Reach's flurrying fists, but the former Spartan didn't let up and he threw South over his shoulder. He had won.

Reach stood up, blood still slowly snaking down his face. He took off his helmet and walked up to the observation deck, where the other Freelancers were drinking. "What the hell?"

York took a swig from his bottle before handing the former Spartan another, unopened drink. "We had a bet, you see. If you won, we would celebrate you by drinking a bit and watching a Grifball game. Although Wyoming wanted to tell you knock-knock jokes until you bashed your head into a wall, which believed me, you will want to."

Reach unscrewed the top, taking a careful sniff. _'I'd really hate it to be tequila, because I cannot hold that stuff to save my life.' _Smelling that it was only beer, Reach took a swig, the alcohol barely burning his throat. He looked in the corner and saw her, standing by herself. _'Texas.'_

Tex walked over to him, a bottle in her hand. "So, you think you are good, huh?" Reach met her gaze evenly. "And what if I said I did?" He paused to wipe the blood from his face, but Tex beat him to it, taking out a small cloth to carefully dab it away. She leaned closer to the former Spartan. "I'd say you need a bit more practice."

Reach chuckled as he took a swig of beer again, looking at a massive Freelancer in white armor, an EVA helmet in his hand. He gave him a small piece of paper. Reach took it, and his eyebrow rose as he read it. "Agent Maine, is it? We're roommates?" The man, now dubbed Maine, nodded. Reach extended his hand in greeting. "Agent Reach. I take it you're a quiet one?"

Maine pointed to a wound, still healing, on his throat. Reach took a closer look, and he saw it was a gunshot wound. _'This guy was shot in the throat and is still fighting? Damn, he must be a tough son of a bitch.'_

A small fiery red figure appeared on Maine's shoulder, his arms behind his back. "I am AI Sigma, the voice of Agent Maine." Maine growled, and Reach wasn't sure if that was just the way his voice was or if it was a threat. Sigma translated a second later. "He says he is curious to see you perform on an actual mission, and hopefully help him hunt down the Insurrectionist who shot him in the throat."

Reach nodded and took another sip. _'Well, I don't suppose I did all that bad. Still, my injuries didn't help at all. South nearly had me at some points.'_

-0-

The Director clicked play on the tape from the match, smiling slightly as he observed Reach's victory against South Dakota. _'So, he did well even wounded. Just as I thought, he is one hell of a fighter in hand to hand combat. I am curious to see how he'll get along with Agent Maine. Both of them like the same style of fighting.'_

The Counselor ran towards him, puffing a bit as he reached the Director. "Director. This new recruit, Agent Reach, is the topic of many conversations onboard, especially amongst the other agents. Is this a good idea to use him so soon?"

The Director carefully stroked his chin. "Counselor, I am aware of your concerns, but my mind is clear on this one. Agent Reach will be deployed with Agents Maine, Washington, New York, and Carolina to destroy a current Insurrectionist facility. The earlier match against Agent South Dakota was merely to test his abilities."

The Counselor's jaw dropped. "Sir, you mean it was just a set up? Nothing more?" The Director shook his head, sighing. _'Silly man.' _"Counselor, I only told Agent South Dakota to introduce herself to him, nothing more. She took it upon herself to challenge Reach to a match, which she clearly lost. Judged by his performance today, if he heals from his injuries, Agent Reach could hold himself against Wyoming, Maine, and even Carolina and Texas. This man has some serious skill, which will be very valuable to this project."

The Counselor paused, his head cocked to the side. "I guess you are right, sir. I will check up on Agents South Dakota and Reach to make sure they are not seriously harmed from their match." He turned on his heel and left, leaving the Director to watch the replay of the fight again.

He saw when South had managed to land a strong kick on Reach's visor, making the new recruit hold his eye. _'After this point, when South pokes at his pride, Reach simply turns the tide and quickly overpowers her. South made a crucial mistake at trying to jeer at him. All that did was result in her loss.' _The Director sighed and looked at the leaderboard, with Agents Texas, Carolina, and Wyoming currently at the top three places, followed by York, Florida, North, CT, South, and Wash. Perhaps a few changes were needed after all….

-0-

Reach sat on the couch, watching this sport called Grifball with York and Wash. "And the goal is to try and not get pummeled to unconsciousness while attempting to score?"

York nodded, drinking from what Reach believed to be his fifth bottle of beer. _'This guy might have a better liquor tolerance than even Emile. And that was a guy who could hold his drink better than anyone.' _

"Yeah, and the players each have modified Gravity Hammers and Energy Swords, so that way no one is killed," York explained, wincing as he saw a player on the screen get thrown from one side of the arena to the other. Reach frowned slightly as he watched the game go on. _'Seems a little brutal to me, but this does seem to be good anger management.' _He saw another person go flying, and he mentally agreed with himself. _'Yeah, I can see it already. Emile would have way too much fun with this. That close quarters specialist bastard…' _Reach missed his old teammate.

Actually, he missed his entire team. He may have not been with them long, only a few weeks at the most, but he had bonded rather quickly with the members of Noble Team. Emile was always one to have fun while killing the Covenant, and Jorge always gave Reach advice whenever he needed it.

Jun helped Reach become an expert marksman in about a week, the both of them constantly trying to steal each other's kills. Kat was brilliant with electronics, while Carter happened to be one of the best commanders Reach had ever served in his career. Only now they were all gone, all of them sacrificing themselves to protect humanity with a soldier's honor.

'_Actually, I wonder about Jun. It's possible he made it out with Halsey, and the two of them are safe on Earth.' _Reach let out a small sigh and looked at the ceiling, the game only background noise. _'Only now I'm no longer with them. I'm here, in a different time, separated from those I trusted most, with no one to relate to.' _He got up, his eyes getting a bit heavy. Whatever the medics gave him for his wounds sure as hell made him sleepy, and augmented Spartan or not, rest was something every human needed. Fighting while drowsy was not a smart gamble to play.

York glanced up. "You heading in for the night?" Reach let out a yawn and stretched, feeling his bones crack. "Yeah. That stuff sure can knock one out. I'll see you."

He made his way towards the quarters, and it wasn't hard to find the one that he and Maine shared. The massive Freelancer looked up, and gave a small hiss of greeting. Reach nodded tiredly in return. "Maine." Maine pointed to the empty bunk, and Reach flopped down on the cot, his exhaustion setting in.

The big Freelancer's AI, Sigma, appeared. "Agent Reach, would you prefer to get up at the same time as Agent Maine tomorrow morning?" Reach nodded before closing his eyes. "Yes, thank you." The darkness creeping away at his vision finally overpowered him again.

_**A/N: *sigh* I hope putting Reach as roommates with Maine isn't taken badly. As for the fight with South, I do hope it was good enough, but I'll try to improve this fic as much as I can. It just won't be easy with a bum wrist, so late updates might happen again. See you!**_

_**Ja'ne!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Whoo-hoo! It's time for a new chapter of Agent Reach! I wasn't too sure about how good the response would be from putting Reach and Maine as roommates, but I was pleasantly surprised and even got some good suggestions. Thanks for making this fun to write!**_

***Chapter 4***

_UNSC Mother of Invention_

_Date Unknown_

Reach blinked his eyes open, and he saw the fiery red figure of Sigma, the AI's arms behind his back. "Good morning Agent Reach. I hope you rested well?"

Reach nodded as he got out, Maine also awake. "Yes, I did Sigma. Ah, morning Maine." The massive yet silent Freelancer gave a small hiss of greeting.

Reach put on his armor, and the two Freelancers left to go do what Freelancers loved most: actual jobs.

The walk to the boardroom was quiet, and Reach saw that quite a few Freelancers were present: Carolina, York, and Washington. "Morning. Anyone know what this is about?"

York and Wash exchanged a glance, not too sure, while Carolina scoffed. "We're here to get a cake for our fighting abilities. We're here to be briefed for something important, obviously." Maine let out a small hiss of annoyance at the blue Freelancer's sarcastic tone.

Reach didn't flinch. "Well, I must say, I am slightly impressed with your sarcasm and extremely stunning intellect." Wash and Maine let out amused grumbles, with Carolina narrowing her eyes at the new Freelancer. "You think it's funny, don't you?"

Reach decided to play with her a little more, wondering how long it would be before she eventually threatened to beat the living shit out of him. "Possibly. Is that a problem?" _'Wait for it…'_

Carolina opened her mouth to snarl out a reply, but the door hissed open to reveal the Director and a black man in the same kind of suit. She gave Reach a glare as if to say _'You're lucky'_. Reach's lips twitched in slight amusement as he took his seat beside Maine. _'That was a fun way to rile her up. But now, let's see what the Director wants.'_

The Director looked over the five agents, his arms folded neatly behind his back. "Agents. It has come to my attention that the Insurrectionists are planning to again develop powered armor suits, much like our own. This is something we must prevent at all costs, and I am sending out two teams to deal with this. The Counselor will give you more details."

He stepped back, and the Counselor took his place, small beads of sweat forming on his brow. Reach was sitting up, listening attentively. _'Hm, so they think they are going to steal UNSC technology and use it against us? They have another thing coming.'_

The Counselor wiped his forehead. "Team 1 will be responsible for infiltrating the Insurrectionist facility and will consist of Agents New York, Carolina, and Reach. Team 2 will be responsible to take out several turrets stationed around the perimeter and will consist of Agents Washington and Maine. Stealth is a major priority for this mission, and do not, under any circumstances, let yourself get caught. Are there any questions?"

All of the Freelancers stood quietly, and the Counselor nodded with slightly narrowed eyes. "Good. Echo 479er will be dropping you off as close to the facility as possible, and I expect this will go along smoothly without unrest amongst our ranks, Agent Carolina."

The redheaded Freelancer clenched her jaw slightly at the jibe. "Yes sir." She looked back at York and Reach. "Both of you, get ready ASAP. I expect you to be prepared to go in twenty minutes."

York nodded quickly and scampered off, while Reach met Carolina's cold gaze evenly. "I'm afraid that I may have to discuss something with the Director, so if you'll excuse me." The red headed Freelancer stepped to the side, her eyes narrowed into slits. Reach could feel her eyes burning holes in his back, but he brushed it off. _'What does she think, that I'm a threat to her position on the leaderboard? That's what I wanted to ask the Director about.'_

Reach stopped in front of the man in charge of this project, and he saluted. "Sir, I wanted to ask a question about that leaderboard showing all of the agents' names. What is it used for?"

The Director pushed his glasses up. "That, Agent Reach, is used to determine the ranking of our agents. For instance, Agent Texas is our best agent, and Agent Carolina is our second best. Although she has been trying to take back that number 1 position for quite a long time now…"

Reach looked at the leaderboard, and he saw that he was currently near the bottom, but that was expected. _'I may have beaten South, but I have yet to accomplish something really spectacular. Once I do though, I'll climb up.' _He was right above South Dakota, Washington, and Connecticut, the last one he had yet to meet or even see.

He looked up at the number one position, and he quickly set a goal for himself. _'I want to be able to say that I am one of the best that Project Freelancer has to offer.'_

Reach stepped back, giving a quick salute to the Director again. "Thank you sir. I'll be heading out now." He turned to leave when the Director put his hand up. "Reach; do be sure that you don't get Agent Carolina too riled up. She can be quite nasty when it happens."

Reach's lip twitched slightly. _'So, it turns out that she can lose her temper easily. That's nice to keep in mind.' _"Yes sir."

He walked out to meet with York and Carolina, reaching them in the armory. Carolina was preparing a pair of Magnums, and York was holding a Shotgun in his hands. The tan Freelancer looked up. "Oh, hello Reach. You here for some weapons?"

Reach nodded, eyeing a Battle Rifle. "Yes." He hefted the precision weapon, looking through the scope. _'Hm, I do prefer this to the DMR, and it has more rounds. But it is a three-round burst with each shot...' _"I think I'll take this."

York tossed him a small box, and the former Spartan plucked it out of the air. Reach eyed the package slowly. "What is this?"

York loaded a few more rounds into his Shotgun. "Those are some new explosive rounds that we've been developing for awhile. I think they'll come in handy."

Reach nodded quietly, putting the rounds in a small pouch on his armor. _'Nice to see that York is trying to welcome me at least. Carolina on the other hand, well…is a bit more difficult to say the least.'_

The blue Freelancer put on her helmet. "We're going now." She turned around and led the two down to the launch bay, where a Pelican was awaiting them. Maine and Washington were already strapped in, and a small green figure appeared on York's shoulder. "Agent York, we should be arriving at out LZ in approximately twenty minutes."

"Thanks Delta," York replied, and the green figure disappeared. Reach looked up from his seat. "Is that your AI?" The tan Freelancer nodded and rubbed a scar over his eye. "Yeah. His name's Delta. He really comes in handy during missions."

The Pelican rocketed out of the launch bay of the _Mother of Invention_, and the pilot of the transport looked back. "Do me a favor and try to not to get yourselves too bloody? I just cleaned this bird about an hour ago."

Reach's lip twitched. "I'll keep that in mind." Washington and York exchanged glances, muttering amongst themselves. "We still haven't gotten our peanuts…"

The black and gold Freelancer let out a sigh. "I know. She is the biggest procrastinator ever…of all time." Maine let out a small hiss at the addition to the end of his comment, and York glanced between the two. "Um, was that you saying 'I agree' or you telling Wash to shut up?" Maine let out a small growl, and York chuckled. "Well, I can't say I'm too surprised Maine. You have never liked Wash's catchphrase."

Reach sat silently as Echo 479er flew them to the facility, and Reach didn't look up until they arrived. The pilot looked back at the five Freelancers. "You are all free to go."

Reach, Carolina, York, Maine, and Washington all exited, the Pelican rocketing off. Washington held a Battle Rifle in his hands and jerked his head to the side, signaling for Maine to follow him. "Come on Maine. We have to make sure none of those turrets are operational." The silent freelancer let out a grumble as he hefted his Brute Shot, running a hand carefully over the blade.

As the two groups began to split, Reach and Maine gave each other subtle nods, wishing the other good luck. _'Hopefully this all goes smoothly, without any of us getting wounded too badly.'_

Carolina quietly stalked the perimeter of the facility, York and Reach right behind her. She looked over the small wall they were using as cover. "We're clear. Reach and York, move up."

York made to stand up and go when Reach put a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. "Wait. There's someone there." _'I'll show Carolina just what I can do.' _The blue Freelancer stared at Reach, and even though her face was hidden by the helmet, Reach could tell she was not happy. "Reach, move up, now!"

Reach pointed towards the door to the facility, and Carolina saw what he was seeing. A lone Insurrectionist soldier was standing guard, a DMR in hand. Reach smirked as he jumped up on the small landing above him. "I got this."

He activated his motion trackers, and he saw that the guard was the only person within a good fifty meters. _'Perfect. The bastard won't know what hit him.'_

Reach stalked along the walkway until he was right above the guard. He jumped onto the man's back, grabbing his head with both hands and snapping his neck for an assassination. _'Got you.' _"Surprise."

Reach beckoned with his hand for York and Carolina to move up. "We're clear." He heard their footsteps behind him as the trio stealthily made their way into the complex. _'I don't think even Carolina could have expected me to do that one.' _The only one who could have seen that coming was Texas.

'_What's up with her? Something about Texas intrigues me quite a bit, but I can't place my finger on it yet,' _the former Spartan mused, drawing a knife from his sheath and getting ready. The interior of the complex was fairly simple, and they had no problem navigating their way through the corridors.

Carolina was about to enter another hallway when Reach put his arm out, a blip appearing on his motion trackers. The blue Freelancer glared into his helmet, and Reach shook his head, putting a finger on his lips. "Both of you, get against the wall."

He drew his knife, and as soon as the rebel passed the doorway, Reach spun him around and stabbed his knife into the man's chest. Reach quietly withdrew his knife and dragged the body off into a corner. _'Another execution. But pretty soon, the buggers are going to notice that several of their men are missing, and they'll be on alert.'_

York looked at the body, impressed. "Wow Reach, you are one sneaky one." Reach shrugged and got ready to take out the next rebel, who was about ten feet away with no one around him. "Stealth was a priority, was it not?" _'I'm only following the Director's orders.'_

Carolina placed a hand on her helmet. _"Team 2, are you in position?" _Washington's reply crackled out a few seconds later. _"Team 2 is in position, Carolina. Whenever you give us the green light, we'll set off the detonators to take out the turrets."_

Reach pointed to the next rebel, who was searching for his missing partner. "York, you and Carolina go and make sure you locate and destroy any data on those new suits. I'm covering you. Got it?"

York nodded and set out, while Carolina lingered behind for a moment, almost like she wanted to argue. Reach didn't flinch as he twirled his knife, stepping behind the rebel and stabbing him in the back, tossing his body away. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Carolina sucked her teeth and made a 'hmph' of annoyance as she followed York, both of them heading even deeper into the complex. Reach watched her go with a twitching eyebrow. _'She really cannot stand taking orders from anyone, can she?'_

He made sure to cover the two, glancing back and forth and taking out any hostiles he saw, whether they were a threat or not. To him, every single rebel soldier was a threat to the UNSC. _'It's best to kick them while they're down. That way, they really can't get back up.' _That was the way that Emile and Reach thought when it came to the Covenant, and the new Freelancer had no problem in using that same matter of thinking with the Insurrectionists.

Reach broke into a run, and he quickly caught up with York and Carolina thanks to his augmented speed. They were waiting right outside a heavy metal door, and Carolina had her back pressed against it. "That place is guarded by two machine gun turrets. There must be a way past them."

Reach scoffed as he joined them. "Please. The only way that would be possible is if we take out the lights. York, can you and Delta cut the power? That way, they will have to use their backup generators, and the turrets will be offline." _'It's the best I could come up with, but I think it's the only way without dying.'_

Carolina eyed the new Freelancer icily as York and Delta worked to take out the power. Reach met her stare evenly, only breaking when York looked up."Lights should be out in three, two, one..."

The lights flickered out, and Reach could hear the turrets on the other side of the metal door deactivate. _'Perfect again.' _York glanced over at Carolina. "Power's out. Let's move." Carolina keyed the COM again, giving Team 2 a heads-up. _"Team 2, this is Carolina. Power is out, and you two can get rid of those turrets now."_

"_Roger that," _Washington replied, and Reach could hear several loud explosions in the distance. _"Turrets 1 and 2 are down. Taking out numbers 3 and 4."_

Reach pried open the metal door, and his motion trackers alerted him to someone on the other side of the door. _'You have got to be kidding me. This is like taking candy from a baby.' _He shoved the muzzle of his Battle Rifle in the crack and fired a three round burst, rewarded with a gurgle and splash of crimson.

Reach forced the door open completely, and he fired over York's head three times, taking out all three of the remaining rebels. Save for one in massive armor and holding a large weapon that slowly began to glow orange.

York exchanged a glance with Reach. "What the fuck is with this guy?" The former Spartan shoved York out of the way as a burst of flame fired from the weapon, making all three Freelancers take cover. Reach looked over, pulled a pin from a grenade, and threw it, the small explosive landing neatly between the rebel's feet.

The detonation made the man stumble, and he didn't recover in time before Reach's knife stuck itself to his helmet, killing him instantly. Reach pulled the blade out, jerking his head over to the computers. "Destroy those immediately. They contain the data on those powered armor suits."

Reach held his ground at the entrance, more explosions going off as Washington and Maine destroyed the turrets surrounding the facility. Washington's voice crackled over the COM again. _"Team 1, all turrets have been destroyed. How is that data destruction going?"_

Reach paused briefly to answer. _"We're deleting the data now. It might take us a few minutes to get back to the extraction point though, so be patient." _

"_Roger. Team 2 over and out," _Washington replied, ending the channel. Reach looked through the scope of his Battle Rifle, and he didn't relax when he saw the coast was clear. For now.

York joined him. "All the data has been destroyed, Reach." The former Spartan nodded, his voice slightly cold. "Good. This will make our lives a bit easier in the future." Carolina didn't glance at him as they ran out of the building, Reach making sure to eliminate even more rebels. _'Better safe than sorry. I may kill the enemy, but I do not hate them. Best saying you ever had, Jun.'_

Once they were outside, the trio met up with Maine and Washington, both Freelancers looking for any enemies. Maine let out a growl, and he forced Washington down before firing his Brute Shot at a rebel with a Rocket Launcher, sending the man off the edge to his death.

Reach put his hand on the side of his helmet, calling for Echo 479er to pick them up. _"Echo 479er, this is Agent Reach. Requesting pick-up now, over."_

"_I read you loud and clear Reach. Expect pick-up within 60 seconds, over," _she replied. Reach ended the channel and he grabbed a few extra detonators from Washington. The black and gold Freelancer gave him a confused look. "What are you planning to do with those?"

Maine let out a sharp hiss, and Reach nodded slowly. "That's right Maine. This is to make sure that they don't try to develop them again." The silent Freelancer backed away slowly as the former Spartan armed the explosives, setting a timer for about 90 seconds. _'This should be a major blow to their powered armor suits project.' _

The roar of a Pelican's engines made him look up, and their ticket out of here had arrived. _'About time.' _"Let's go! We have thirty seconds before the facility is dust!"

The five Freelancers ran into the Pelican, and they quickly strapped themselves in. 479er looked back at them. "You might want to hang on tight. It's about to get a little…"

"Bumpy?" Washington asked. 479er shrugged. "Yeah, that. I was going to say 'crashy', but that works too." The Pelican rocketed away just as the Insurrectionist facility exploded, the entire base obliterated.

Reach was confused as to why 479er said the flight was about to be crashy when he looked back, mentally swearing. _'Fuck.' _"We have two Longsword Interceptors, coming in hot! Take evasive action!"

The Pelican jerked to the right as a pair of missiles soared past, exploding on the rocks. 479er seemed to be searching for something as she accelerated the Pelican to its maximum speed. "Come on…where is she?"

Reach joined her, and his enhanced eyesight spotted something in the clouds. He pointed to it. "There. There's something large in those clouds. It looks to be the outline of a ship." Sure enough, the _Mother of Invention _broke the clouds, and a single flash shot overhead, taking out one of the Longswords. The other turned around in an attempt to avoid meeting the same fate, but it too was destroyed by the _Mother of Invention_'s MAC gun. _"This is UNSC Mother of Invention. Echo 479er, you are clear to land."_

"_Roger that. Echo 479er now docking. All agents are accounted for, with no casualties. Over and out," _the pilot returned, navigating her ship into the docking bay.

Reach stepped out of the Pelican when it landed, and he followed the other four agents to the briefing room, where the Director and Counselor were waiting.

The Director had his hands behind his back, and the agents snapped to attention as he spoke. "Agents, the mission was a success. No casualties, all agents accounted for, and all priorities met. This has been a very good outcome for us and gives us an advantage again." He glanced at the Counselor. "Counselor, update the leaderboard please."

The black man typed a few letters into his datapad, and the leaderboard rearranged itself, showing the top six agents as Texas, Carolina, Wyoming, New York, Reach, and Maine. Reach eyed his position with a raised eyebrow. _'Well, I certainly climbed up a lot.' _Even Washington moved up a bit, right behind Maine.

Carolina narrowed her eyes slightly. "Director, why am I still at my position?" The redhead seemed very displeased, and Reach remembered from earlier that the Director said she hated to lose. _'So, this is her showing displeasure at number 2. Well then…'_

The Director's lips tightened slightly. "Agent Carolina, there are many reasons, including your resentment and bitterness which prevent you from regaining that position. And I have noticed during the mission that you nearly failed to listen to Agent Reach, only going when you saw you had no other choice. He remembered that stealth was a priority while giving them hell. Which, it seems, you forgot."

Reach noticed that Carolina's face was getting as red as her hair, which, by the way the other Freelancers were slowly backing away, must be a dangerous sign. _'If worst comes to worst, then I'll have to make sure she doesn't try anything stupid.' _

But Carolina must have calmed down, because she spun on her heel and left, slamming the door with a frustrated growl. Maine and Reach exchanged glances, both of them shrugging. York looked after her. "Do you think we should talk to her?"

The sound of something breaking sounded off, and Washington shook his head. "I don't think so." Maine hissed in agreement. Washington winced as he heard a very pissed off scream come from within, and he and York shared another glance. "I think we might want to stay as far away from her as possible. Otherwise, she's gonna kick our asses. Again."

Maine grumbled something, and York raised an eyebrow. "Um, are you sure that's a wise idea? Remember the last time we tried that?" The massive Freelancer hissed, and York put his arms up. "Alright, alright. I'll try it." He ran out after Carolina, and Reach sent out a mental prayer that the tan Freelancer would be returning in one piece. _'I'd really hate to see York get messed up too badly. He was vital in this mission, and the Director knows it.'_

Reach let out a sigh, for he still missed his old teammates. _'I never thought I'd ever say that being a lone wolf is something I don't want anymore.' _He left the briefing room and headed to the shooting range. Perhaps all he needed was a little time to think.

_**A/N: Whew, this was a long one…still, I hope it was an enjoyable read. Thanks for making this my most favorite and followed fic so far! Leave any comments or other feedback, as it is greatly appreciated. See you!**_


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